Tabletalk
Lucinda O’Sullivan reveals her Top 20 Sassy Seafood Spots
We never really appreciated fish until recent times. Now, we can’t get enough, and love the fact that the gap is being filled between the basic, old-style fish-and-chip shops and expensive seafood restaurants. There are some really great casual fish eateries out there, including market stalls, pier-side food trucks, shacks and cafes, offering everything from Maine-style lobster rolls to scampi, succulent crab claws to hip Hawaiian poke bowls, at prices that won’t necessarily break the bank, says Lucinda O’Sullivan, who lists her top 20 sassy seafood spots around the country
FIFTY4 SEAFOOD BAR
Within a stone’s throw of the River Boyne, and new to Drogheda, Sarah-Jane Kirwan’s pretty seafood bar, with red-brick walls and marble-topped tables, serves fresh fish from the family fish shop next door. Think seafood chowder, prawn pil pil, fish pie, and daily blackboard specials. Dinner Friday/Saturday night. There’s also a takeaway menu. fifty4.ie
BESHOFF BROS
‘Grab and go’ is the thing here, before climbing Howth Head or walking the pier in the north Dublin village. There’s always a fast-moving queue of tourists and locals eager to chow down on their chowder, fish and chips — or, my favourite, calamari or scampi and chips with tartare sauce and lemon. beshoffbros.com
FISHBONE
Fishbone faces the wooden bridge leading to Bull Island and Dollymount Strand on Clontarf ’s main drag. I had a bit of a glitch with service on my visit, but the yellow-fronted Fishbone did come up with good fish on the day. Loud music, cocktails, Howth lobster, Lambay crab. fishbone.ie
KLAW POKE
Niall Sabongi’s Klaw in Temple Bar is hot-hot in the fishy stakes, as is his new Klaw Poke on Capel Street, also in Dublin. It combines the great shellfish offerings of Klaw with Ireland’s first Hawaiian-style traditional healthy poke bowls filled with marinated tuna (or other seafood), grains, salad, toppings and sauces. Delish. klaw.ie
FISH SHOP
Having started from a shed in Blackrock Market, Peter Hogan and Jumoke Akintola now have a fish-and-chip shop on Dublin’s Benburb Street, as well as this casually hip seafood restaurant on Queen Street, serving anything but casual seafood. A four-course dinner will titillate, while their tasting menu will knock your socks off. fish-shop.ie
LOBSTAR
Veronika and Zsolt Zakar’s tiny seafood and steak eatery is giving the other 900 covers in Dublin’s coastal Monkstown village a run for their money, with great lobster burgers, lobster rolls, lobster pots, lobster ravioli. Did I mention lobster? Lovely Hungarian wine. lobstar.ie
MICHAEL’S
Chef Gareth ‘Gaz’ Smith is the captain of the ship at Michael’s, Mount Merrion, in Dublin. With a fantastic pedigree, from Wexford to London to Vienna and back, Gaz specialises in getting every bit of flavour from the fresh seafood he sources from small, independent fishermen. michaels.ie
FISH BAR
On Dock Terrace, Bray, Co Wickow, Fish Bar at the legendary Harbour Bar, serves casual seafood with eclectic twists that Molly Malone never knew. Choices include oysters Bloody Mary; prawn tacos; sweet potato crab cakes; crab rolls; and smoked salmon and chorizo nachos. fishbar.ie
LA COTE
Open since 2014, Paul and Edwina Hynes’s chic, contemporary seafood restaurant located on Wexford’s quayside evokes a real feel of dining on the Cote d’Azur. Think brill and caper brandade; plaice with Pernod froth; and seafood platters. lacote.ie
WILD & NATIVE
Fergal Dempsey’s restaurant and wine bar, which is located on the Strand Road in Rosslare, serves almost anything that swims, from black sole to seared swordfish, Rosslare crab claws to calamari and octopus, Wexford mussels, whitebait, razor clams and lobster. wildandnative.ie
PIER 26 It doesn’t get any fresher than Pier 26 in east Cork’s Ballycotton, right at the source of some of the best-loved seafood in the country. Set virtually on the pier, it has fabulous views of the bay and the harbour. The food is great, and the prices are right. facebook.com/pier26restaurant/ THE FISHMARKET CAFE Set in the historic Kinsale Fish Market, Co Cork. Dine inside or out in new The Fishmarket Cafe at the Blue Haven Hotel on Pearse Street. Try panko-crumbed scampi, oysters prepared any which way, or chowder and crab crumbles. You can wash them down with premium artisan Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, sourced from New Zealand’s Fairbourne Estate. bluehavencollection.com THE BULMAN Pearse and Mary O’Sullivan’s atmospheric Kinsale pub, by the water’s edge, is a local and holiday hotspot, and for good reason. They do a great tapas-style bar menu, with lots of fabulous fishy bits, but the real star of the show is their grilled local-lobster half. Bliss, and surprisingly affordable. thebulman.ie O’CONNORS SEAFOOD RESTAURANT On Wolfe Tone Square, facing Bantry Harbour, in Co Cork, O’Connors is always popular for excellent local seafood. A new, more casual element has been added to the front, so it’s a perfect spot for family summer lunches. Try the Bantry Bay hand-dived scallops. oconnorseafood.com
CON’S MARINA BAR & RESTAURANT
Part of the Star Outdoors Outdoor Adventure Centre on the Ring of Beara Road, in Kerry, here you can enjoy great seafood, including scampi and Kenmare mussels, on their waterfront balcony, while soaking up views of Kenmare Bay, Dinish Island and the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks. Owned by Star Seafoods, there is an on-site smokery. staroutdoors.ie
TRA BAN
Overlooking the ocean in the picturesque village of Strandhill, Co Sligo, Tra Ban boasts some of the best views on the Emerald Isle. Situated on the first floor, above the Strand Pub, this steak and seafood restaurant is a sibling of the popular Eala Bhan in Sligo town. trabansligo.ie
QC’S
Part of the Quinlan & Cooke Boutique Townhouse, in Cahersiveen, Co Kerry, QC’s is a long-established fishy fave among those in the know. Owners Andrew and Kate Cooke reel in customers with their fabulous flavoursome fish, supplied by the family’s company, Quinlan’s Kerry Fish. In summertime, grab a table in their courtyard garden and dine al fresco. qc.ie
MARINE RESTAURANT
In the attractive coastal town of Ballybunion, Co Kerry, a favoured stop along the Wild Atlantic Way, the Marine Restaurant, part of the Marine Hotel, has become a popular spot for locals and tourists alike. Owner and head chef Derek Nagle strives to make sure all his menus are full of locally sourced fish and meats. themarine.ie
NANCY’S BARN
This authentic cottage in Ballyliffin, Co Donegal, boasts chef Kieran Duey, who scooped the prestigious award of World Chowder Champion on his recent excursion to Newport, Rhode Island. After savouring a bowl of his awardwinning fish soup, treat yourself to their home-baked breads and desserts. facebook.com/nancysbarn/
THE LOBSTER POT
This Donegal pub and restaurant, known locally as Kelly’s, in the small village of Burtonport, does a lot more than it says on the tin. Their signature lobster comes from their live tank, while there’s also an ocean of cod, scampi, oysters and prime Irish beef — but why not go big time, and choose their house specialty: The Titanic, a seafood platter, loaded with lobster, crab, mussels, salmon, prawns and more. lobsterpot.ie